Heel-seat fitting machine



Jan. 16, 1940. HAZELTQ'N 2,137,150

HEEL-SEAT FITTING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1:

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' G. HAZELTON HEEL-SEAT FITTiNG MACHINE Filed July 11, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 y I 5 I20 Patented Jan. 16, 1940 2,187.150 HEEL-SEATFlTTING MACHINE I GeorgeHazelton, Leicester, England, assignor to UnitedShoe Machinery Corporation, Borough 'of Flemington, N.; J., acorporation of New Jersey Application July 11, 1938. Serial No. 218,655

, In Great Britain July 2'7, 1937 9 Claims. (01'. 12-215) This inventionrelates to the manufacture of shoes and is illustrated as embodied in aheelseat fitting machine of the general type disclosed in UnitedStatesLetters Patent No. 1,850,149, granted March 22, 1932 on anapplication filed in the name of Hazelton. I

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved heelseatfitting machine for varying the widths of heel-seat tabs formed upon thesoles of shoes in accordance with the'widths of heels to be attached tothe shoes. 1

With the above objectin view, and in accordance with a feature of thisinvention, the illustrated machine is provided with means forpositioning a shoe having an attached sole, a pair paths of movement ofthe knives and therefore 1 the width of the heel-seat tab formed on thesole. The various features of the invention will be understood andappreciated from the following detailed description read in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view, partlybroken away, of the illustrated machine; 1

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections, partly broken away, on lines IIIIand IIIIII, respectively,.

of Fig. 1; 1 Fig. 4 isan enlarged view, partly broken away, on lineIV-IV of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing'portions of the heel-seat reducingmechanism in detail;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of portions of mechanism for limitinginwardmovement of the sliding beds of the machine; and

a shoe the heelseat portion of the sole of which has been reduced by theabove machine.

The illustrated machineis described withreference to reducing theheel-seat portion 20 (Figs;

2 and 7) of the sole'22 of the shoe 24 and forming heel-breast receivingshoulders 26 (Fig. 2)

v on the sole thereby forming a tab 28 for'rec'eiving a Cuban heel 30.The shoe off the last is' placed .upona jack 32 (Figs. 1 and 2) which ismoved. rearward along a guideway 34 (Fig. 1);

' Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the heel endof of the machine frame36 until the rear end of plates 40 (Figs. 1 and 5) being positionedbetween the shoe engages a back gage 38 (Fig. 2), crease the lateralmargins of the heel-seat portion 20 5 of the sole and the overlastedcounter portion 42 (Fig. '7) of the shoe upper as the shoe is movedrearward in the machine. After the shoe has been positioned lengthwisethe operator de-,

presses a treadle (not shown) first to move the crease plates 40 inwardtoward each other until they are stopped by suitable mechanism.whichwill be described later, and then to raise the jack32 thereby-forcingthe shoe bottom against the undersides of the crease plates. Aonerevolution clutch (not shown) is then tripped to move a pair ofknives 44 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) ;inward from opposite sides of the shoe toform the heel-breast receiving shoulders 26 (Fig. 7) and then to moveforward a pair of knives 46 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) to reduce the heel-seatportion of the sole by beveling cuts 48 (Fig. 7).

The crease plates 40 are secured by screws 50 (Figs. 1 and 2) to slidingbeds 52 which are movable transversely on guides 54 of the main frameand have raised overhanging portions 56 (Figs. 2 and 3) providedwith'guideways 58 (Figs.- 3 and 5) for carriers 59 to whichthe'respective heel-seat'reducing knives 46 are secured by screws 60(Fig. 2). It will be noted (Fig. 5)'that the outer margins of theheel-seat reducing knives 46 move along groovesBZ-form'ed at the inneredges of the respective crease plates 40.

The shoulder-forming knives which are secured to carriers 64 (Figs. 1and 2) by screws 55 threaded into T-shaped blocks 68 fitting inguideways of the carrier 64, are moved inward from opposite sides of thesole through mechanism which will now'be described. Each of the carriers64 is secured by a screw 10 (Figs 1 and 2) to a slide 12 (Fig. 1)movable along a guide 14 (Figs. 1 and 2). Screws 16 (Fig. 1) which aresecured to the slides 12 by nuts 18 "extend through elongated slots inthe guides 14 and carry at their lower ends anti-friction rolls -82(Fig. 1) fitting in guideways 84 of sliding blocks 86. 'I'he'blocks 86are operated along guideways 38 in theslid-ing beds52 byoifset'bellcrank "levers 90 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) journaledupon pins 92which are secured by-s'crews 94. (Figs 2 and 3) to bosses 95 extendingdownward from the sliding beds. .The bell-crank levers 90 are pivoted tolinks 96 (Figs. 1 and 2) the rear ends of which are pivoted to a slide98 which is movable in a guideway 10!) (Fig. 2) of the machine frame andcarries a roll I02 fitting in a groove of a cam I04.

Pivoted to the pins 92 which are secured to the sliding beds 52 are apair of links I06 (Figs. 2 and 3) which are pivoted to a slide I08movable in a vertical guideway I10 (Fig. 2) of the machine frame. Thelower end of the slide I08 is pivoted to the above-mentioned treadle(not shown). When the operator depresses the treadle against the actionof a spring III (Fig. 2) the sliding beds 52 are moved inward on theguides 54 until screws II2 (Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 6) which are threaded intolugs II4 secured by screws 15 to the sliding beds 52 engage stops orwedge-shaped blocks H3 which, as will later be described, are movableinto different adjusted positions in accordance with the width of theheel 30 in a heel-measuring gage I20 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

As above stated, the machine is provided with mechanism (not shown)operated through a treadle (not shown) for raising the jack 32 in orderto force the shoe bottom against the undersides of the crease platesafter the shoe has been positioned in the machine. Since said mechanismis fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,840,030,granted January 5, 1932 on an application filed in the name ofGouldbourn et al., no further description is believed to be necessary.As disclosed in the abovementioned United States Letters Patent No.1,850,149, which shows an improved machine of the general type disclosedin said United States Letters Patent No. 1,840,030, the guides 1'4 areadjustable upon their respective sliding beds 52 about vertical axes I22(Fig. 3) passing through points which are located at the forward limitsof movement of the lower ends I24 (Fig. 5) of the cutting edges 126 ofthe heel-seat reducing knives 45, thereby enabling the operator to varythe paths of movement of the shoulderforming knives 4-4 transversely ofthe sole in accordance with the transverse curvature of the breast ofthe heel to be attached to the shoe. It is desirable that theshoulder-forming knives 44 move along the front edges of the respectivecrease plates4-0, irrespective of the angular adjustment of the guides14. Accordingly, a pair of auxiliary plates I28 (Figs. 1 and 5) whichconstitute parts of'the respective crease plates 40, are secured to theguides 1'4 by screws I29 (Figs. 1, 2 and 5), the knives 44 being inengagement with the front edges of the plates I 28 and forming shearcouples therewith.

It will be noted that the arrangement of the bell-crank levers 90 (Figs.1, 2 and 3) and the links 90 is such that there is practically norelative movement between the slides 12 and the respective sliding beds52 during the inward movement of the beds. The throw of theshoulderforming knives 44 is practically constant, the arrangement beingsuch that inward movement of the knives is reversed when the lower endsof their cutting edges I30 reach the vertical axes I22.

The carriers 58 (Figs. 3 and 5) to which the heel-seat reducing knives50 are secured are provided at their rear ends with transverse groovesI32 (Fig. 2) for receiving a bar I34 (Figs. 1 and 2) of an operatingslide I30 (Fig. 2) which is movable forward and rearward along aguideway I38 and carries a roll I40 fitting in a groove I42 of theoperating cam I04.

It is preferable to form the heel-breast receiving shoulders 26 beforereducing the heel-seat portion of the sole and, accordingly, theshoulder-forming knives 44 are operated before the heel-seat reducing orbeveling knives 46. It will be understood, however, that the sequence ofoperation of the shoulder-forming knives and the heel-seat reducingknives may be reversed. As in the machine'disclosed in United StatesLetters Patent No. 1,850,149 the position of the heelbreast receivingshoulders 26 depends upon the position of the shoe determined by theback gage 30 which may be set in different adjusted positions along aguideway I44 (Fig. 2) through mechanism which will be described later,in accordance with the setting of the heel-measuring gage 20.

The heel-measuring gage I20 comprises a breast gage I46 (Figs. 1 and 2)and a slidable rear abutment I43 for engaging the rear end of the heel.As illustrated in Fig. 2, the breast gage I46 is arranged to engage thebreast of the Cuban heel 30, a narrow gage I50 which may be renderedoperative by swinging the breast gage I46 to a raised inoperativeposition being provided for measuring Louis heels. The breast gage ismounted upon a slide I52 which is moved into different adjustedpositions forward and rearward in a guideway I54 (Fig. 2) of aheel-supporting plate I55 secured to the machine frame. An adjustingscrew I58 is journaled in the plate I55 and is threaded into the slideI52. The rear abutment I48 is movable along a guideway I58 (Fig. 1)formed in a heel-centralizing slide I which is slidable in guideways I62formed in the machine frame. The centralizing slide I60 is normallyurged forward by a spring I64 until a screw I66 (Fig. 1) carried by theslide engages the plate I (Fig. 2) of the heel gage. The forward end ofthecentralizing slide IE0 is \'-shaped to accommodate the rear portionof the heel.

Journaled in fixed bearings I68 (Fig. 1) is a rock shaft I10 which maybe operated through mechanism practically identical with that disclosedin United States Letters Patent No. 1,840,030 by a treadle rod I12.Secured to the right end (Fig. 1) of the rock shaft I10 is an upstandingarm I14 carrying a pin I10 which engages in a vertical slot (not shown)of a block I18 (Fig. 2) carrying a shaft I80 to which a pinion I82 issecured. The block I18 is slidable forward and rearward along a guldewayI84 of the 3 machine frame. The rear abutment I48 (Figs. 1 and 2) and aheel clamp actuator I86 (Fig. 2) which is slidable forward and rearwardin a guideway I88 are provided with rack teeth I90.

I92, respectively, which mesh with the pinion I82.

When the treadle rod I12 is depressed against the action of a spring I94(Fig. the arm I14 swings rearwardly carrying with it the block I18 andthe pinion I82, causing both the rear abutment I48 and the clampactuator I86 to be moved rearwardly. When the rear abutment I48 isretracted, that is, moved rearwardly, the heel is insertedattaching-face down upon the plate I55 of the heel gage with its breastagainst the breast gage I46, the centralizing member I being movedrearwardly against the action of the spring I64 by the heel to enablethe operator to position the heel in the gage. The treadle rod I12 isthen allowed to rise under the action of the spring I94, causing therear abutment I43 to move forward into engagement with the rear part ofthe heel. A locking arrangement similar to that disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent N 0. 1,840,030 and comprising a stationary ratchetdisk I98 (Fig. l) which is engaged by a pawl 200 operatively connectedto the treadle rod I12, prevents rotation of the rock shaft I III in adirection to retract the rear abutment I48 from the position it. assumesupon engagement with the heel.

In order to locate the back gage 33 in accordance with the position ofthe rear abutment I 13, which position is determined by the length ofthe heel seat of the heel, the back gage is connected to the abutment bymechanism which will now be described. The back gage 28, which isslidable forwardly and rearwardly in the guideway Mt (Fig. 2) hassecured to it an upstanding post 282 fixed to the front end of a slide2%. Threaded into the'rear end of the slide 20% is a post 206 whichprojects upward through clearance slots formed inthe clamp actuator I85,the rear abutment I48, and the centralizing member I60. Threaded intothe upper end of the post 2M is a horizontal screw 208 (Figs. 1 and 2)the forward end of which is provided with a collar 2 II] fitting Uponrotation of the screw 228 relative adjustment of the rear abutment I28and the back gage 38 may be effected, a set screw 2M being provided toinsure that the screwshall be retained in its adjusted position.

The heel gage I20 is provided with side clamps or abutments 2I6 (Figs.1, 2' and 3) secured by screws 2I8 to slides 229 (Figs. 1 and 3) movablein guideways 222 (Fig. l.) of the machine frame. The inner portions ofthe slides 220 are pivoted to the rear ends of curved links 224 (Figs.1, 2 and 3) the forward ends of which are pivoted to the heel clampactuators I86. When the treadle rod I12 connected to the arm H4 isdepressed causing the clamp actuator I86 to be moved rearward as abovedescribed, the side abutments 2I6 are moved outward to provide clearancefor the insertion of the heel in the heel gage. When the treadle rod H2is released after the insertion of the heel, the side abutments moveinward to engage the sides of the heel and further insure that the heelshall be properly centralized. It is clear that whenthe rear abutmentI48 is stopped by contact with the heel before the side abutments 2I6have engaged the heel, the pinion roll I 82 (Fig. 2) will roll upon therack teeth I 98 of the rear abutment and will continue to move the clampactuators I86 until the abutments 2H5 have properly engaged the sides ofthe heel.

When the heel is positioned in the heel gage I20 as above described withits sides engaged by the side abutments 2 I 6 it will be appreciatedthat the separation of the abutments 2 I 6 is determined by the width ofthe heel. In the illustrated machine the separation of the sideabutmentsZiEi is employed to control the separation between theheel-seat reducing knives 45 during their forward movement therebyvarying the width of the tab 28 in accordance with the width of the heelto be attached to the shoe.

Connected to the right slide 220 by a link 226 (Figs. 1, 3' and 4) is arack-bar 228 (Figs. 1 and 4) slidable in a guideway 230 of a bracket 232secured by screws 233 (Fig. 4 to the machine frame. Journaled inbearings of the bracket 232 is a vertical shaft 23 3 (Figs. 1 and 4) towhich is pinned a gear 236 meshing with the rack 233 of the bar 228.Fixed to the lower end of the shaft 235 is a large gear 240 (Fig. 4)meshing with a rack 242 which is movable forward and rearward in aguideway 2 54 (Figs. 3 and 6) of the bracket 232 and has secured to itthe above-mentioned wedge-shaped block II8 which has an inclined surface246. It will be appreciated that when the side abutments 2I6 are moved,a corresponding movement is imparted through the above-described partsto the wedge block H8, and when the heel is positioned in the heel gageI20 the position of the block is determined by the right-hand sideabutment 2IB which is set in accordance with the width of the heel. Thewedge-shaped block I I8 serves as a stop for limiting the inwardmovement of the sliding beds 52 and the crease plates 40 secured to thebeds. The screw H2 may be set in a predetermined position in the lug II4of the sliding bed 52 by a lock nut 248. The inner end of the screw H2is so positioned as to abut against the inclined surface 246 of theblock H8, as illustrated in Fig. 6, when the sliding beds 52 have beenmoved inward into their operativepositions.

As above described, the position of the wedgeshaped block H8 isdetermined by the width of the block H8 is such that the sliding beds 52are moved inward by such amount that the heelseat reducing knives 46carried thereby perform their cuts in the proper position on the sole.to provide a tab 28 of a width corresponding to the width of the heel inthe heel gage.

'When the screw H2 abuts against the inclined surface 226 of thewedgeblock H8 any tendency there may be for the thrust of the knife tomove the block rearward is resisted since the rearward thrust on theblock merely tends to cause the side abutments M6 to grip the heel morefirmly between them. Since the diameter of the gear 240 is greater thanthat of the gear 236 a given movement of the side abutment 2I6 effects aconsiderably greater movement of the wedge-shaped block II8. Such anarrangement provides for the setting of the position of the block H8with accuracy in accordance with the width of the heel and avoids thenecessity of making the incline of the surface 246 undesirably steep.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecureby Letters Patent of the United States is: 1

1. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a gage forpositioning a shoe, a pair of knives movable in predetermined pathsrespectively to reduce the heel-seat portion of an attached sole of theshoe, a heel gage comprising a movable member for measuring a heellengthwise, a slide for centralizing the heel in the heel gage, and anabutment for measuring the positioned heel widthwise, means for locatingthe shoe gage in difierent adjusted positions in accordance with theposition .of the movable member of the heel gage, and mechanism forvarying the respective paths of movement of the knives in accordancewith the position of said abutment of the heel gage thereby varying thewidth to which the heel-seat portion of the sole is reduced inaccordance with the width of the heel in the heel gage.

2. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means forpositioning a shoe lengthwise, a heel gage, means for positioning a heelwidthwise in said gage, a movable abutment for measuring the positionedheel widthwise, pairs of heel-seat reducing andshoulderforming knives,guideways for controlling movement of the respective knives inpredetermined paths, a stop operatively connected to the abutment, andmeans for moving the guideways for the knives into predeterminedpositions determined by the stop to vary the paths of movement of theknives in accordance with the width of the heel.

3. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means forpositioning a shoe having an attached sole, a pair of sliding beds eachprovided with a guideway extending lengthwise of the positioned shoe,means for moving the sliding beds inward in rectilinear paths fromopposite sides of the shoe, knives movable in predetermined pathscontrolled by said guideways for reducing the heel-seat portion of thesole, a gage having a movable abutment for measuring a heel widthwise,and means for limiting inward movement of the sliding bends inaccordance with the position of said movable abutment in order to varythe paths of movement of the knives and therefore the size of theheel-seat tab formed on the sole.

4. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means forpositioning a shoe having an attached sole, a pair of sliding beds eachhaving a guideway extending lengthwise of the shoe, a crease platecarried by each of the sliding beds, means for moving the sliding bedsinward in rectilinear paths from opposite sides of the positioned shoe,knives movable in predetermined paths controlled by said guideways forreducing the heel-seat portion of said sole, a heel gage comprising anabutment for measuring a heel widthwise, and a stop operativelyconnected to said abutment for limiting inward movement of the slidingbeds toward each other and thereby varying the positions of saidguideways in accordance with the width of the heel in the gage.

5. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, an abutment formeasuring a heel widthwise, means for positioning a shoe having anattached sole, a pair of sliding beds, a crease plate secured to each ofthe sliding beds, a pair of knives for reducing the heel-seat portion ofthe sole, a pair of kives for forming heel-breast receiving shouldersupon the sole, guideways formed in said sliding beds for controlling thepaths of movement of corresponding pairs of heel-seat reducing andshoulder-forming knives, a stop connected to said abutment, and meansfor moving the sliding beds toward each other until limited by said stoppreparatory to reducing the heelseat portion of the sole.

6. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a back gage forpositioning a shoe lengthwise, a heel gage comprising a stationaryabutment, a slide constructed and arranged to force a heel against saidabutment and to position the heel widthwise, a member for measuring theheel widthwise, crease plates, heel-seat reducing knives, guideways forthe heel-seat reducing knives, mechanism for moving the crease platesand the guideways for the knives into different adjusted positionstransversely of the sole, and means connected to said member forlimiting inward movement of the crease plates and the guideways inaccordance with the widthwise measurement of the heel.

7. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, means forpositioning a shoe having an attached sole, a pair of knives forreducing the heel-seat portion of the sole, a pair of knives for formingheel-breast receiving shoulders on the sole, a pair of sliding beds,guideways in the sliding beds for controlling the paths of movement ofthe heel-seat reducing and the shoulderforming knives, crease platescarried by the sliding beds, a heel gage comprising an abutment formeasuring a heel widthwise, a stop, mechanism for operatively connectingthe stop with said abutment to move the stop into diiferent adjustedpositions in accordance with the width of the heel in the heel gage,means for moving the sliding beds inward from opposite sides of thesole, and adjustable means carried by the sliding beds for engaging thestop to limit the inward movement of the beds in order to position theguideways for the heel-seat reducing and the shoulderforming knives inpredetermined positions in accordance with the width of the heel therebyvarying the paths of movement of the knives and therefore the shape ofthe resultant heel-seat tab 1 formed upon the sole.

8. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a heel gagecomprising a stationary abutment, a slide yieldable under pressure of aheel away from the stationary abutment, said slide being constructed andarranged to force the heel against said abutment to position the heellengthwise and widthwise in the heel gage, and an abutment movable intoengagement with the rear end of the positioned heel, a back gage forpositioning a shoe, and mechanism for connecting said back gage to saidmovable abutment to position the back gage in accordance with the lengthof the heel in the heel gage.

9. A heel-seat fitting machine having, in combination, a heel gagecomprising a stationary abutment, a slide movable toward and away fromsaid abutment, a spring for constantly urging said slide forward towardthe abutment, a stop for limiting forward movement of the slide, saidslide being constructed and arranged to position the heel widthwise andlengthwise as it forces the breast of the heel against the stationaryabutment, and an abutment movable into engagement with the rear end ofthe heel, a back gage for positioning the shoe lengthwise, and mechanismfor connecting the back gage to the movable abutment to position theback gage in accordance with the length of the heel in the heel gage-GEORGE HAZELTON.

